St. Baldrick's Foundation Awards 24 Infrastructure Grants to Help Institutions Bring Lifesaving Clinical Trials Closer to Home

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The past couple of years have presented challenges to many non-profit organizations and especially to kids with cancer. The St. Baldrick's Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, is proud to announce the funding of 24 infrastructure grants totaling more than $1.1 million in lifesaving childhood cancer research.

Since COVID-19 has entered our lives, the added question of how to travel safely has become a topic of conversation. Even before COVID-19, kids with cancer had to be cautious when leaving home due to their compromised immune systems.

Not having to travel to get cutting-edge treatment is critical to giving kids with cancer their best chance at survival. These one-year grants provide the selected institutions the staffing to open, coordinate, and treat more children on clinical trials, making it possible for more children to access these trials close to home.

Clinical trials are important because they help improve upon today's standard treatments, giving more children hope for a healthier future with fewer side effects.

"St. Baldrick's Infrastructure Grants are designed for one reason, to treat more children on clinical trials, often their best hope for a cure," said Kathleen Ruddy, St. Baldrick's CEO. "Thanks to donors, volunteers, advocates, and all those who are fighting every day for kids with cancer, from making these $1.1 million in grants possible. These grants are particularly critical because they often help children who are treated at smaller hospitals, or those where resources are scarce, but needs are high."

Infrastructure Grants are awarded based on the needs of the institutions and their patients, anticipated results of the grant, and local participation in St. Baldrick's fundraising events and activities. 

This series of grants brings the St. Baldrick's Foundation's funding total to more than $7 million awarded in 2021. Since 2005, St. Baldrick's has awarded more than $312 million to support the most promising childhood cancer research, no matter where it takes place.  

St. Baldrick's Infrastructure Grants are awarded to the following institutions:

California

• Pediatric Hematology Oncology at Ventura County Medical Center, Ventura, Calif.
• UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, affiliated with University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.
• Valley Children's Healthcare, Madera, Calif.

Hawaii

• Kapi'olani Health Foundation, Honolulu, Hawaii

Illinois

• University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Ill.

Iowa

• UnityPoint Health Foundation dba Blank Children's Hospital, Des Moines, Iowa

Louisiana

• Children's Hospital News Orleans, New Orleans, La.

Michigan

• Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Mich.

Minnesota

• Children's Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.

Missouri

• SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, St. Louis, Mo.

Nevada

• Renown Health, Reno, Nev.

New Jersey

• HMH Hospitals, Edison, N.J.

New York

• Albany Medical College, Albany, N.Y.
• SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, N.Y.

North Carolina

• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, N.C.

New Mexico

• University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, N.M.

Ohio

• Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, Ohio

Puerto Rico

• Centro Medico del Turabo d/b/a Hospital HIMA San Pablo Caguas, Caguas, Puerto Rico

Texas

• Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
• Cook Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas
• El Paso Children's Hospital, El Paso, Texas

Virginia

• Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, Norfolk, Va.

Wisconsin

• St. Vincent Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, Green Bay, Wis.

To help continue to fund critical research for kids fighting cancer, go to StBaldricks.org to learn the many ways you can get involved and donate. Or join the Speak Up for Kids' Cancer advocacy action network to encourage federal lawmakers to continue to fund childhood cancer research. Connect with St. Baldrick's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

About St. Baldrick's Foundation
Every 2 minutes, a child somewhere in the world is diagnosed with cancer. In the U.S., 1 in 5 will not survive. The St. Baldrick's Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, is on a mission to give kids a lifetime by supporting the most promising research to find cures and better treatments for all childhood cancers. When you give to St. Baldrick's, you don't just give to one hospital – you support virtually every institution with the expertise to treat kids with cancer across the U.S. St. Baldrick's ensures that children fighting cancer now — and those diagnosed in the future — will have access to the most cutting-edge treatment, by supporting every stage of research, from new ideas in the lab to the development of new therapies, to lifesaving clinical trials. Join us at StBaldricks.org and help #GiveKidsALifetime.

SOURCE St. Baldrick's Foundation